Hook cap for clothes poles



oct. z5, 1949.

B. A. P, GUY

HooK CAP FOR LoTHEs PoLEs Filed Feb. 26, 1949 1N V EN TOR. cBez-:mrdAfp. Guy

Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE HOOK CAP FOR CLOTHESPOLES Bernard A. P. Guy, Philadelphia, Pa. Application February 26,1949, Serial No. 78,557

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful hook cap for clothes poles andhas for one of its objects to provide a simple and effective device ofthis character which can be manufactured economically for sale at a`reasonable price making it highly advantageous to builders carrying oneX- tensive building operations as well as home owners desiring toimprove their properties.

Another object of the present invention is to so arrange the hookelements that a clothes line fastened thereon cannot be accidentallydisplaced when a prop is placed under the line-or the latter lifted byclothes elevated by high Winds.

A further object of this invention is to construct a device of thecharacter mentioned having all surfaces inclined or tapered and theexterior vertical surfaces of each element of the structure convergingfrom a division or median line towards opposite ends whereby said devicemay be cast in a simple split mold of single or multiple type.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an article formounting on top of a post, usually in the form of a pipe, which articlecomprises a socket body having a plurality of radial arms projectingtherefrom with cross heads at the outer ends thereof which cross headsinclude oppositely extending ears.

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of thedetails of construction and combination of elements hereinafter setforth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describeits construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of one form of the hook cap constructedaccording to my invention and shown on piece of pipe acting as a pole.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the hook cap.

Fig. 3 is a section line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the plug type of hook cap showingit in a pipe or hollow post which is partly broken away and shown insection.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modification in which the hooks arepositioned diagonally.

Fig. 6 is a, side view of a single hook for attachment to a wall orother flat surface.

Fig. 7 is a front face view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, on a reof one of the hooks onthe duced scale, of another modification of the hook cap wherein thehooks are horizontal and curved to substantially correspond to thecurvature of the body circumference.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top view thereof.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied I5 represents the capbody, which is hollow to primarily produce a socket I6 in the types ofdevice illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9. This body is open at thelower end but closed at the upper end by a top wall I'l and the insidesurfaces i8 of the side walls of said body diverge all the way from thetop to the bottom edge thereof or lower open end so that the core of amold, which core is on one part of a split mold, may be withdrawnwithout any drag.

From the division or median line A-B, Fig. 2, the upper portions I9 ofthe side walls of the body converge or taper to the upper end of saidbody while the lower portions 20 of said side walls of lthe bodyconverge or taper from said division or median line to the lower endof'said body.

Projecting from the exterior of said body are a plurality of radial hookarms or shanks 2l generally circular in cross section so that the upperand lower surfaces taper or converge in opposite directions from thedivision or median line towards the tops and bottoms thereof as plainlyshown in Fig. 3.

On the outer end of each hook arm or shank 2| is a hook cross head 22either vertical, as in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, or diagonal, as in Fig. 5, orhorizontal and curved lengthwise, as in Figs. 8 and 9. The ends of eachcross head, which project in opposite directions beyond the arm or shankconstitute ears 23 and 24. Like the exterior of the body and the arms orShanks, said cross heads are tapered or have their surfaces convergingupwardly and downwardly, respectively, above and below the division ormedian line represented as A-B in Fig. 2. Thus it will be apparent thatall outside surfaces of the device taper or converge towards theirrespective upper and lower extremities above and below the division orinedian line. This enables the manufacturer to mold or die cast thearticle with a split mold whose meeting edges engage along the divisionor median line herein referred to.

In using any one of the hook caps illustrated in Figs. 1, 5 and 8 thebody I5 is placed over the upper end of a post 25 with the upper end ofthe latter seated in the socket I6 and if the post is hollow, like asection of pipe, the device will close the upper end of the post boreand keep out rain, snow, dirt and other foreign substances. The

hook cap is held in place by a screw 26 threaded into the body side walland engaging the post. To attach a clothes line it is looped around orover one ear, as 23, of the cross head and then carried over oraround-the opposite ear, as 24, which will disposed portions of saidclothes line about the hook arm on, at least two, opposite surfaces and,possibly, all about said arm, so that an eieient gripping action isobtained. This will prevent Athe clothes line being accidentallyr.displaced when lifted by a clothes prop, pushed to one side from anycause or swung about by the clothes thereon uttering due to winds.

A slight modification is shown in Fig. 4 where an extension 21 ofsmaller outside diameter than the body l5 projects from the lower end ofsaid body and functions as a plug -for insertion in the end of a hollowpost 25a, such as a piece of pipe. The extension being smaller than the-body a shoulder 28 is formed that rests on top of the post so thatwater will be deflected and kept out of the inside of the post. In 'thiscase the inside surface of both the body and extension are continouslysmooth and diverge all the way to the lower end of said extension whilethe outer surfaces of said extension taper towards said lower end atapproximately the same inclination as the lower portions 20 of the bodyouter surfaces.

Another modification is illustrated in Figs. 6

and 7, wherein the body 3U is a plate having a flat rear surface 3l withthe front surface inclined in opposite directions from the division ormedian line indicated at C-D in Fig. "1. Like the previously describedstructure, the outer surfaces of the hook arm 32 converge in oppositedirections from the median line or the top and bottom thereof.Similarly, the hook cross head 33 at the outer end of the arm includes apair `of oppositely located ears 24 and 35 relative to the arm 32 andthe surfaces of said ears or the cross head, as a whole, convergefrom'the median line in opposite directions to the ends of therespective ears. This structure can be molded or die cast in a splitmold where the meeting edges contact on aline matching the median lineC-D. After formation, the holes 36 are drilled to receive suitablefastening devices for securing the device .to a'supporting object, suchas a wall, fence or the like.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction herein shown and described as these may be varied withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the vspirit ofmy invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and useful is:

1. A hook cap for clothes poles' comprising a tubular body closed at theupper end and open at the lower end for mounting on the upper end of apole, the inner surfaces of the side walls of said body diverging fromthe closed end to the open end, the outer surfaces of said side Wallstapering from a division line located intermediate the ends of said bodyto the 'opposite ends thereof, a plurality of radial arms projectingfrom the exterior of said body along the divisional line with thesurfaces of said arms converging in opposite .directions fromlthedivisional line to diametrical- 1y opposite locations, and cross headson the outer ends of the `arms with the ends thereof projecting inoppositefdirection's beyond said arms, the surfaces of said cross headsconverging in opposite directions from the divisional line to locationso-n opposite sides of said divisional line whereby the hook cap as awhole may be molded as a unitary integral article.

2. The hook `cap according to claim 1 wherein the cross heads arevertical.

3. The hook cap `according to claim 1 wherein the cross heads arediagonally arranged.

4. The hook cap according -tol claim 1 wherein the cross heads arehorizontal and curved from end :to end.

5. A lhook cap comprisinga tubular body closed at the upper end and openat the lower end, the inner surfaces of said tubular body divergng fromthe closed end tothe open end, radial arms pro- Ajecting from theexterior of said body, and cross heads on the outer ends of said armswith the ends thereof projecting in opposite directions beyond saidarms.

6. The hook cap according to claim 5 in combination `with an 4extensionof smaller diameter than the body and projecting from the'lower open endthereof, and a shoulder at the location of the joint between the bodyand extension.

BERNARD A. P. GUY.

.REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 704,073 Mole `July 8, .1902785,774 Strehlow Mar. 28, 1905 1,538,900 Laughlin May 26, 1925 2,136,014McDonald Nov. 8, 1938

